Washing-machine



(Model.)

M. BIGHAM.

WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 9, 1881..

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

MAGGIE BIGHAM, ()F PONTOTOO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,271, dated August 9, 1881.

Application filed June 3, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MAGGIE BIGHAM, of Pontotoc county, and State of Mississippi have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in washing-machines; and it consists in the combination of a cylinder formed of a series of small rollers which are journaled in the end of the cylinder, and in which cylinder is placed a shaft as large as can be accommodated inside of the rollers, and which is provided with buckets in its sides extending its full length, for the purpose of catching water and pouring it upon the article which is being rubbed between the outer surface of the cylinder and the rubbing-board, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine which will automatically keep a current or stream of water flowing over the article of clothing that is being washed at the same time thatitis being thoroughly rubbed, and thus avoid the necessity of constantly dipping the article in water, and thus do the rinsing in the same manner.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

A represents a suitable frame, which is to be placed in a tub or other similar vessel in which the washing is to be done, and which frame may either be of the construction here shown or any otherthat may be preferred. A portion of the top of this frame and its rear side is covered over by means of the cover B, and next to the top part of the cover is journaled the roller 0, which enables the clothes to be moved more easily across the top of the machine than could be done were this roller not used.

Journaled in between the two upright portions of the frame is the iron axle X, which has one end extended to receive the operatingcrank, and which passes through the cylinder (Modeh) Y, which has a series of buckets formed in its surface for the purpose of dipping up the water as the shaft is revolved and emptying the water above the article of clothing that is bein g washed. sired depth or shape, and extend the fulllength of the cylinder. To each end of this cylinder, inside of the two uprights of the frame, are secured the heads F, and in the outer edges of thesetwoheadsareloosely journaled a number of small rollers, P, which form the rubbing-surface of the cylinder, so that they will not come in contact with the end of the cylinder even when they are swollen from having been placed in warm water.

A sufficient space isleft between the rollers for the water that is carried up by the buckets of the cylinder to be freely emptied out upon the article of clothing that is being washed. Forced against the side of this cylinder by means of suitable springs, I, which are secured at their lower ends to the bottom of theframe, is the rubbing-board L, upon which the article to be washed is placed. The side of the board next to the cylinder should be concaved sufficiently to makeit conform to the periphery of the cylinder.

The operator turns the cylinder by means of a suitable crank, and the rollers which form the surface of the cylinder rub the article at the same time that the buckets bring up the water and dash it over it. The springs allow the rubbing-board to yield and to accommodate itself to the size of the article being washed, and to allow the article to be gradually drawn into the tub in which the machine is placed. The roller P, journaled upon the top of this rubbing-board, and the roller 0, journaled upon the top of the frame, serve to allow the article of clothing which is being fed in between the cylinder and the rubbing-board to move along more freely and easily than it would do over the boards alone.

When a large article of clothing is to be placed between the cylinder and rubbing-board the upper end of the rubbing-hoard is forced backward at the same time that its lower end catches against the stop 0, secured to the bottom of the frame, which thus serves as a brace to retain the board in position. As soon as the These buckets can be of any depressure of the clothing is removed from the rubbing-board the springs force the board back into position again.

This machine is placed in the bottom of the tub, and is held in place by means of the projection R, which is formed at one end of the bottom of the frame. This projection catches under a suitable button or catch which is formed in the bottom of the tub, and prevents the machine from being raised upward.

The catch should be secured to the bottom of the tub near enough to one side to allow the opposite end of the frame to rest against the side of the tub, thus making it stationary. In turning the cylinder once the article washed is rubbed as many times as there are small rollers in its surface, so that by allowing the article to pass gradually through it is very thoroughly washed and rinsed when passed through the machine but a single time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The combination of a suitable frame, ashaft provided with acylinder having buckets in its periphery, an outer inclosing-cylinder com- 25 lower end of the board to catch against, sub- 30 stantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAGGIE BIGHAM.

Witnesses S. B. BIGHAM,

WM. CASTLEBERRY. 

